The Diego Diaries: Talko (dd7 114)
=0=In a new place
Siphon sat on the floor staring out into the night. Nearby, Rocco was sitting on a couch going through the Community Bulletin Board learning what he could about the place. It was astonishing to him how the life here was fuller and better than it was even on Cybertron in the hey day. There was so much to do, so much open to everyone and best of all, you didn't need money for any of it.
You could eat out, get things and not pay.
The concept was almost too much to consider. He sat back, then noticed Siphon sitting on the floor staring out into the lights that sparkled beyond the window. Their tower was in the middle of a forest of them and the streets, though wide allowed some view of others in neighboring towers. There were individuals having their lives, lights on and lights not in the endless banks of windows across the street in two other towers on the block there.
"You alright?" he asked Siphon.
The kid glanced at him, then grinned. "Yeah. Do you think they'll let us stay here? This is real nice, Rocco. I don't have any shanix."
"You don't need it," Rocco said. "Don't worry about anything. I got this."
Siphon stared at him, then nodded. He held an airplane in his servo, his favorite toy. He rose then walked to Rocco to sit beside him on the couch.
It shocked Rocco for the first time how small and obviously young Siphon was. He never noticed it before. Everyone thought he was simple and stunted. Maybe he was from the life he had. It bothered him for the first time to know that he hadn't been as protective and concerned about the kid's welfare as he should have been.
He considered that notion, then thought about his life as a Decepticon. This shouldn't have been a thought on his mind before. But that was then. Seeing a few decimations changed a mech. Losing friends that way, being unable to save them, watching their astonished surprise as they ended up being killed, some of whom were intensely loyal to the Cause had changed him.
It was a turning point. When his ship decided to leave he went with it. He almost didn't bring Siphon, he considered. As bad as the 'Cons were, pirating was worse. Then they fell in with Cassio and his brother. They weren't soldiers so there was latitude.
He was glad he brought the kid. He just wished he brought the other two.
Night would be a long hard road for Rocco of Iacon.
=0=Ops Center
They walked into the conference room, then pulled the cases out of their holds. Putting them on the table, the big mechs sat down and stared at the two shaken humans. Other bots came including Prime and Prowl. They sat and it was quiet a moment.
Prime glanced at Hardie. "Why are they here?" he asked as he did his part in the charade.
"I think they want to confess," Hardie said. He looked at the two humans. "Right?"
The humans stared at him, then Prime. :They tried to kill us. They took us somewhere and were going to throw rocks until these cages broke. What are you going to do about it, Prime?: Anderson said with more guts than the bots gave him credit for having.
Prime stared at him, then Hardie. "Is this true?"
Hardie shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Slaggers seem to want to unburden themselves a moment ago."
Prime stared at them then leaned his elbows on the table, bringing his face close to the two. "If you have something to say, then say it. Otherwise, I will have them take you back." He looked at Hardie. "If they need to go back, you and your brothers will do it. It is late and I am ready to go home."
:They want us to confess to things or they'll kill us: Mueller said.
"Is that true?" -Prime
[shrug] -Hardie
Prime leaned in again. "You have five minutes to tell me what you want to say. Then I am going home and my senior officers will take you back."
They stared at Prime, someone who was either unable to understand their predicament or didn't care. Neither answer was a good answer.
Anderson moved to the glass, placing his hands on its smooth surface. :I won't return home alive will I if I don't tell you things: he said rather than asked.
Prime stared at him, then glanced at the others as if he didn't understand what the human was saying. "I am not clear that he wants to tell me something, General. Perhaps you can return him and the other one."
:Wait!: Anderson said. :Wait. I didn't come here for this. We tell you. We want a deal. Give us a deal and we'll talk: He glanced nervously at Mueller. :Right?:
Mueller was debating the idea in his head himself, then looked at Prime. :If we tell you things … we don't confess to anything … but if we tell you things we know, what do we get in return?:
Prime considered it, listening to commentary of the room off line, then leaned closer again. "You will be allowed to live," he said quietly. Then he sat back.
They stared at him, then each other. :We get to go home?: Mueller asked.
Prime considered that. "We can solve jurisdiction and extradition if the information is worth it. It will take a very good lengthy and detailed confession for me to consider it." Then he leaned in again. "You will have to trust my word."
They stared at him, then Anderson shook his head. :You're supposed to be the good guy. You're supposed to be ethical:
"And you're the guy who murdered two people, betrayed your oath to your unit, infiltrated as a spy into our sovereignty and is about to shame your family and country when they find out and they will one way or the other," Sun said. "Don't tell me you're getting religion now."
Mueller sat down on the couch in front of the window. :I want immunity and you get it all:
Prime considered that. "And what is 'all'? Are you going to tell me that you will be truthful and tell everything? Do you forget who I am?" A chuckle off line greeted that remark as Ratchet guffawed internally. Apparently, as Prime was told by the big medic some time before, his CGI doppelganger used that line in The Last Knight movie toward just about everyone. Somehow it seemed appropriate here.
:I want immunity. I don't want to go into a prison here for the rest of my life. I have a lot to tell you: Mueller argued.
Flashes of Crader of Nova Cronum being dragged out of Caste Court saying the same thing registered for a moment, then he remembered that Crader was in league with the Wheelus Faction and thereby had earned another Prime Hearing with Special Circumstances.
The Pantheon will be very busy he thought as it entered then fled his mind.
He sat back. "I will have to hear what you say. I will not be giving any guarantees until I do. I am very old and very wise to the ways of liars and killers. Do not think you can play me for a fool."
They stared at him, then seemed to speak to each other with hand movements.
Prowl who was recording it sent the tape in a live stream to Jazz who was working on their communication techniques. After a moment Jazz pinged back. He had no translation but he'd work on it with Mirage.
After the races, unless it was important.
Prowl told him to stand by. Maybe it wouldn't be.
They turned to Prime. :What's the procedure if I don't tell you? If we don't?: Anderson asked.
Prowl leaned closer. "You will be indicted, assigned counsel, brought to trial and if convicted be subject to Cybertronian law and consequences. There will be no extradition, no special treatment or features. You will be charged with two counts of first degree murder, spying for a foreign government, trespass with false intentions on the sovereign territory of Cybertron, lying to an officer conducting an investigation and entering our territory under false pretenses. Anything else that might crop up will be added."
They were silent. Mueller stared at Prime. :You have a Matrix to tell you things. What does It say now?:
:He's got major bearings: Ratchet said.
Magnus nodded.
"The Matrix is silent."
:What does that mean?: Anderson asked.
Prime who felt pity rising in him over these two who appeared to him to have no honor considered the question. What did it mean indeed? :They have no opinion just yet."
:And you? We offer you information in exchange for transfer to Earth with immunity: Mueller said.
"You offer to give us whatever you feel is enough," Sun said as the others nodded. "You have information and you're not going to empty it into our hands. You'll say just enough to be out of danger but it won't be everything. We require all of it."
"The news stated just a short time ago that Interpol, the FBI, local and state police in fifteen countries and other policing entities had raided a Resistance cell structure that was part of a larger network and arrested hundreds of people. Fifteen countries, gentlemen. They acquired information, guns and bombs. Half your network went dark just now. It would do you well to consider that into your equation," Prowl said. He leaned over to turn on the monitor on the wall. He muted it as he did.
Playing on the channel, an Earth consortium broadcast channel for humans and bots alike was a news show from Brazil. It was about the raid. Prowl clicked through the news band and on every channel was the same thing. He paused it on the BBC. He looked at the humans. "I wasn't lying. You really need to think about your position carefully."
They stared at each other for a moment, then seemed to reach a conclusion together. Mueller stood and came closer to the wall. :You won't allow us to go home?:
"No. You fall into our jurisdiction and the crimes happened here. You will face the music here," Prime said. "What you can do is mitigate your situation by helping us with the truth."
:If we're convicted, what does that mean?: Mueller asked.
"Imprisonment here, no possibility of living long enough to go home. That box will be your home forever," Prowl said.
They stared at him, then Anderson began to pace.
Mueller watched him.
:Five stages of grief: Ratchet said over the off line connection. :We've already had denial, anger and bargaining:
:What are the other two?: Jack asked.
:Depression and acceptance: Ratchet replied.
Prime nodded, then looked at the two. They were staring at each other, then looked at him.
:We'll talk but we want guarantees and your word on the Matrix. We heard you can't break your word on that thing: Anderson said.
Prime leaned closer. "It works two ways. Give me your word on the Matrix that you will not withhold any information and I will give you mine. That is the only offer on the table at this moment." Prime sat back to wait.
They stared at each other and it seemed almost that they were talking together telepathically. Humans were oddballs to the mechs, most of them, so maybe they were half of them concluded.
Anderson looked at Prime. :What do you have to do?:
"Promise on the honor of the Matrix that you will tell us everything you know and leave nothing out. If you do that I will give my word that I will consider and grant concessions if the information is true and can be proven," Prime said.
:That is no guarantee. You could leave us in the desert after we tell you. The only thing keeping us alive is what we might or not know: Mueller said.
Prime leaned in closer. "What makes you think that will keep you alive if you decide not to talk?" he asked.
Hypothetically.
They had no real idea beyond their own thoughts about the big mech before them so they were drowning in their own fears, half truths and prejudices. There was no way out. They had to tell Prime what they knew and swear on an alien device or the maniacs watching them would take them back and kill them. There was no open road anywhere they looked.
They stared at Prime, then Mueller nodded. :Alright. What do we do?: he asked.
=0=TBC 10-20-19 02-20-2021
To everyone tonight with love. -Me (Consider yourself hugged)